Written by: John Sernaque
Dear Reader,
Books / Pr - Prayer (2002) / Chapter 15—Jesus’ Example in Prayer
Jesus’ Strength Came From Prayer—The strength of Christ was in prayer. He had taken humanity, and He bore our infirmities and became sin for us. Christ retired to the groves or mountains with the world and everything else shut out. He was alone with His Father. With intense earnestness, He poured out His supplications, and put forth all the strength of His soul in grasping the hand of the Infinite. When new and great trials were before Him, He would steal away to the solitude of the mountains, and pass the entire night in prayer to His Heavenly Father. {Pr 169.1} As Christ is our example in all things, if we imitate His example in earnest, importunate prayer to God that we may have strength in His name who never yielded to the temptations of Satan to resist the devices of the wily foe, we shall not be overcome by him. — (The Youth’s Instructor, April 1, 1873.) In a life wholly devoted to the good of others, the Saviour found it necessary to withdraw from the thoroughfares of travel and from the throng that followed Him day after day. He must turn aside from a life of ceaseless activity and contact with human needs, to seek retirement and unbroken communion with His Father. As one with us, a sharer in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength, that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In a world of sin Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with God He could unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him. Here He found comfort and joy. {Pr 169.2} In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours. {Pr 169.3} “Come ye yourselves apart,” He bids us. If we would give heed to His word, we should be stronger and more useful. The disciples sought Jesus, and told Him all things; and He encouraged and instructed them. If today we would take time to go to Jesus and tell Him our needs, we should not be disappointed. — (The Desire of Ages, 362, 363.) {Pr 169.4}
We all need prayer. I know I need prayer. Jesus is our great exemplar when it comes to prayer. The strength of Christ was in prayer. He would go into the groves or into the mountains to shut everything else out that He may be alone with His Father. He had unbroken communion with His Father. It was in this secret place of prayer that Jesus received divine strength to go forth braced for duty and trial. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours. Jesus bids us to join Him and promises that we will not be disappointed. Amen.
Our Father, God Almighty,
We come to you this Sabbath Day in worship, thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We worship You in spirit and in truth. We thank you for giving us Your breath of life. We thank You for bearing our infirmities and for having become sin for us. Father, we pray as Jesus prayed to You, that we may join with You to be stronger and more useful. Dear God, it is our prayer that as we seek Your Face in our secret place of prayer, that You will grasp our hand as we pour out our souls to You. That we may receive strength in Your name and not yield to the temptations of Satan. Satan is a wily foe who is always ready to overcome us, he knows our weaknesses. We pray for Your Divine strength, that we may always be ready for duty and for trial. Some of us have burdens that are crushing us. We pray, that as we cast our burdens upon You, that we may find comfort and joy as our cries reach Your ears of infinite pity. Deliver us and give us rest. Help us remember to seek You in our secret place of prayer where You have told us that we may tell You of our needs, and to receive encouragement and instruction. A place where we shall receive life, Your life that may be imparted to the world. Some are experiencing health issues. We get attacked from all sides. Lord, we pray for healing and restoration. You are the master healer, is there anything too difficult for You? Touch us with Your healing hand and make us whole. Many are praying for loved ones who are not of the faith, who are lost. Father, You know them by name. We pray that You will pour out Your Spirit upon them, that they may see Your light, experience true heart conversion, and that they may be saved. Others are praying for a country property but don’t have the means or the ability to get one. You are the God of miracles and where we only know how to add, You multiply. You are in control. Father, You know our hearts. I pray for all our families, friends, and loved ones. I pray for the stranger that is within our gates. You have said that if we would take time to go to Jesus and tell Him our needs, we should not be disappointed. We thank You for this promise. We thank You for all the blessings You continue to bestow upon us. Save us and forgive us of our sins, the known and the unknown. Strengthen us and increase our faith. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers and for giving us the victory over sin. All these things we ask and pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
